The Indescribable Days of Shiz
by ImperialxViciousness
Summary: Explore the evolution of Elphie and Galinda's Relationship during their time at Shiz. Gelphie-romance/friendship of sorts. Written in the style of Neal Shusterman. K for now.
1. Elphaba

The indescribable days of Shiz

**A/N: please note that this chapter takes place after Elphaba and Galinda and their lovely group of misfits arrive at Shiz. It's mainly musicalverse, a little bit of bookverse influence such as Elphie's aversion to water and her attitude. I need to stray from my A/N and say that I love the book Unwind and Neal Shusterman's writing style, so in an attempt to make my stories worthy, I have decided to write in his style. I don't know, but something about his writing makes everything sound so…professional in a sense.**

1: Elphaba

Elphaba rolls her eyes at her blonde roommates antics, if she was to be roomed with such a…an insufferable dimwit then she figured she was eternally doomed. Elphaba shifts slightly in her chair, balancing her book precariously on her knees as she tries to see what Galinda is doing. She's at her vanity, carefully re-doing her makeup again. She notices Elphaba watching her, which inevitably causes her to smudge her eyeliner. Elphaba looks away and in turn Galinda scowls, though at Elphaba or her smudged eyeliner Elphaba will never know.

"Miss Elphaba, what is so strikingly interesting about watching me re-apply my makeup? I would appreciate it kindly if you would cease your staring, it's highly unnecessary." Galinda says, turning slightly on her stool to look at her verdant roommate. Elphaba can see that she's become increasingly upset but that's due to the lack of attention she was giving her.

"You call my staring 'unnecessary' when I'm not even looking at you…Miss Galinda I'm slightly confused. Care to enlighten me?" Elphaba replies, not bothering to look at the girl opposite her, keeping her gaze focused on the text of her book.

Elphaba hears Galinda sigh angrily, a high growl that came deep from her throat, as she turns back around to fix her eyeliner. Elphaba just returns her attention back to her book. Moments later she hears Galinda sigh out of boredom and possibly just to annoy her. Elphaba ignores her and continues on with her reading; at least she tries to continue with her reading until Galinda sighs again, a dramatically loud sigh that breaks Elphaba's concentration. Elphaba sighs, giving up on the matter of reading and turns her head to look at the blonde socialite.

"Miss Galinda is there any reason as to why you're sighing?" she asks, scanning the girls' face to see what was disgruntling her.

"**I'm bored!**" Galinda replies, simply and in a most unladylike fashion, as she throws herself down on the pink fluffiness that she calls a bed dramatically.

Galinda tilts her head back slightly, trying to get a better look at her verdant roommate. When she doesn't get any kind of reaction, Galinda sighs again, even louder this time. She notices Elphaba's eyebrow twitch in annoyance, but is slightly disappointed when the green girl didn't look up. Turning herself onto her stomach, Galinda stares intensely at the girl, her eyes never leaving the girls' face. Elphaba has a strong sense that Galinda was watching her and she looks up, her eyes locking with Galinda's for a few seconds before tearing away and focusing her attention back to her book. Silence settles between the two girls for a few moments; it wasn't an uncomfortable silence but rather a strangely comforting one. Galinda can hear Elphaba sigh quietly, whether to herself or just to break the silence she doesn't know. The soft sound of a book closing causes Galinda to look up. When she does, she is met with the sight of Elphaba's hawkish features looming over her. She is lost for words so she just stares, a look of blank ignorance settling over her face.

"Don't keep your mouth open, you'll attract flies." is all the verdant girl says before turning to leave the room, leaving a slightly stunned Galinda in her leave.

"Miss Elphaba-" Galinda begins but is cut off by the slamming of the door. Galinda lets out a huff of annoyance, crossing her arms in a childish manner as she stares at the door. How dare Elphaba leave her all alone without a proper response! Galinda decides to dismiss the sudden rudeness of Elphaba, and comes up with the conclusion that the green girl is just having a bad day, that's all. And so, Galinda just resumes her application of makeup, disregarding the whole situation altogether.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elphaba stalks across the courtyard of Shiz, making a beeline straight towards the library. She sighs quietly; she lets her thoughts wander to Galinda and hers argument, where it hadn't been so much an argument than a bit of lighthearted banter. She looks up, and a black cloud stares back, looming overhead and it's then that Elphaba realizes that it's going to rain. She walks faster, her boots echoing in the silence of the courtyard, because getting caught in a downpour would ultimately lead to getting seriously injured or a painful demise.

She finds her solace in the comforting silence of the library, a place that those socialites probably never even step foot in. There are only a few people there, no more than two or three at a table. But Elphaba knows that there are at least a dozen more scattered about the room, some perched on armchairs, some sprawled across the couches, there were even some seated on the floor.

She gathers a hearty stack of books in her hands, balancing them against her chest and holding them in place with her chin as she walks to her back corner, careful not to step on any unsuspecting students. She steps carefully over a sleeping student, but her line of sight is blocked by the stack of books and her left foot catches the blanket and she goes flying. Everything happens so quickly, one moment she's standing and the next she finds herself staring at the ground, splattered with a few drops of her blood. A coppery taste in her mouth signals that she's either busted her lip or that she's lost a few teeth. She runs her tongue over her teeth, and is relieved to find that all teeth are there, but when she licks her bottom lip a sharp stinging lets her know that she has indeed busted her lip. Elphaba struggles to get up, disentangling her foot as she does. She is met with an angry looking boy, who probably really wants to punch her face in now.

"Watch where you're going, _Artichoke_." The boy says cruelly, emphasizing the horrid name that everyone at Shiz seems fond of using for Elphaba.

Elphaba is back on her feet and does nothing but stare icily at the shorter student, her eyes staring him down. A frown is etched onto her angular face. An insult rises to the top of her throat, begging to be released but she keeps quiet and slowly bends to gather her scattered books. Her lip throbs and the blood still gushes but she ignores that. All she really wants to do his head back to her dorm where her insufferable dimwit is. She shoves the rude boy out of her way, his back slamming against a bookshelf, as she saunters out of the library. The sound of her footsteps echoes in the awkward silence as the circle of students that had apparently gathered while she got yelled at watch her retreating form before turning to help the injured boy.

The sound of thunder indicates the oncoming storm, and Elphaba picks up her pace as she dashes across the wide quad that stands between the library and Crage Hall. Elphaba is halfway across the courtyard when the first drops of rain pelt the unsuspecting earth. Elphaba looks up slightly, her face set in subtle panic, tilting her head a little, just so she can look. It's a stupid thing to do because as soon as her face meets open air a fierce burning engulfs every other sense and all she can do is grit her teeth in pain and try not to scream out in agony. Thankfully for her, it's only on one side of her face and the burn marks are thin streamlines of red, so it won't be too hard to heal. Elphaba shields the rest of her face with her bag as she rushes indoors, her hands littered with searing red marks along with her face, making her way to the staircase. She's careful to avoid any other passing students.

Nobody can know about her allergy to water.

Nobody could ever know.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Elphaba fumbles around in her bag, in a desperate search for her room key. She isn't about to knock, that would bring too much pain to her hands. Her fingers brush against the cool metal and jagged edge of her key, and she pulls it out. Jamming it into the keyhole she forces the door open, accidentally letting it slam into the wall before sheepishly closing it, quieter this time.

"Hello, Miss Galinda." Elphaba says, announcing her arrival as if the loud slam of the door wasn't enough to alert her roommate.

Elphaba silently slips into the bathroom and Galinda hears the soft click of the lock sliding into place. She knows she shouldn't care about the other girl but Galinda can't help but feel some sort of urge to check on her. She carefully rises from her bed and pads across to the bathroom door. She presses her ear to the polished wood of the door, and hears the dull shuffling of clothes.

Elphaba knows that Galinda is right outside the door, but doesn't drop any hint that lets Galinda know that she knows she's there. Elphaba looks at her reflection again, and grimaces as she realizes the true severity of the burns. Several red streaks run down the length of her face, clashing horribly with the green of her skin.

It makes her look like some tortured victim of Oz's Great Hundred Year Holocaust.

More red streaks and dots mar her flawless hands, long fingers trembling as she runs an oil soaked cloth over them. The oil helps to sooth the pain but does nothing to help conceal the water inflicted damage done to her skin.

She jumps slightly when she hears Galinda's soft voice call out to her.

"Miss Elphaba is something the matter?" she hears Galinda ask, and it confuses her because she never thought of Galinda as the worrying type.

Elphaba sighs, not wanting Galinda to know about her current situation, it would ensure a lifetime of even greater Hell for her if Galinda were to find out. She hears Galinda's voice again, quieter this time and she has to strain to hear it properly.

"Miss Galinda, you are going to have to speak up…I can barely hear you." Elphaba says, tearing her gaze from the mirror as she looks at the polished wood of the door.

"I have an idea, why don't you open the door?" Galinda replies, a sassy tone added to her voice.

Elphaba is slightly struck down at the girls' snide suggestion but gives her what she wants, bowing her head slightly as she opens the door.

She hears Galinda gasp slightly, and bows her head further, staring down at her brown boots and the carpet.

"Miss Elphaba, why, what happened?" Galinda asks, as she lifts Elphaba's head up so she can inspect the wounds further.

Elphaba tries to pull her face away but in doing so Galinda's fingers brush against a few burn marks and cause her to hiss in pain. Galinda's hands retreat and a look of worry mask her usually perfect features.

"Miss Elphaba, please tell me what happened…" Galinda says, almost pleadingly as she looks into the taller girls' eyes.

It is then that Elphaba realizes that the blonde socialite is genuinely concerned for her wellbeing and she can't help but let the truth slip from her lips.

"I got caught in the rain." Elphaba replies, her voice holds a tone of sarcasm to it.

"I don't need your mockery Miss Elphaba; I just want to know what happened to you. Why is your lip busted?" Galinda replies, a look of annoyance slowly forms on her face as she keeps her blue eyes locked with Elphaba's russet ones.

"I tripped over a student."

"Or did the student trip you? And what in Oz's name happened to your face and hands?" Galinda questions, as she examines Elphaba's burn marks.

"I can't tell you…sorry." Is all Elphaba says before turning to head back into the bathroom.

But she's stopped by Galinda, who holds her forearm firmly with no intentions of letting go until she gets her desired answer.

She drags the taller girl over to her bed and sits her down, glaring at her with a firm expression that almost makes Elphaba laugh if not for the seriousness of the whole situation.

Elphaba begins to protest but is silenced by Galinda.

"Now, Miss Elphaba," she begins, like a teacher to a student. "I want the full story now and no excuses."

Elphaba sighs for she knows that this will be a long explanation.

"After our little fight I headed over to the library and it just so happens that I tripped over a student by accident…nobody tripped me. That's how I busted my lip…what; you thought I got into a fist fight?" Elphaba looks at Galinda with a look of slight disbelief, and then lets out a cackle that startles Galinda.

"It's not funny Elphaba…you could've been seriously hurt. Now, care to explain your burn marks?"

Elphaba's face holds seriousness now, all joking set aside.

"I told you, I can't. You'll publicly terrorize me even more if you knew." Elphaba says, giving Galinda dangerous glare.

"I swear I won't. Just, won't you let me help?" Galinda asks, looking at Elphaba and waiting for a response. Elphaba nods in approval.

"There is a bottle of oil on the counter in the bathroom next to a rag, bring both in please and your mirror." Elphaba explains; hoping that it's a simple task for the blonde to do.

Moments later Galinda returns, oil bottle and all in hand. She perches herself next to Elphaba and proceeds to dab carefully at the cut on her lip. It takes all of Elphaba's self control to not pull away. But she does anyway.

"Elphaba, what's wrong?" Galinda says, not noticing the slip of her tongue and the dismissal of formalities.

"It just stings, that's all." Elphaba replies as she gently eases towards Galinda again.

The gentle dabbing continues.

"So, I ask again, what caused these burn marks?" Galinda asks, lowering the cloth as she looks intensely at Elphaba.

Elphaba shifts uncomfortably on the bed, and averts her gaze, directing it anywhere else but Galinda.

"I-I have a severe a-allergy to water…"

"Well that's certainly…different." Galinda continues her dabbing in silence, letting it settle between each other.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the night is uneventful.

Elphaba positions herself on her bed, lounging with a book in hand while Galinda is in the bathroom, removing her makeup and brushing her teeth.

As soon as Galinda re-enters the bedroom Elphaba clears her throat, gaining the attention of her blonde friend.

"Miss Galinda, would it be too much trouble if you brought me the history homework after class tomorrow? I'm not going to be in class the next few days." Elphaba says, referring to her nasty burn marks.

Galinda nods.

That's all she can do because she knows that she can't deny Elphaba's request.

xxxxxxxxx

The two fall asleep on good terms.

Not one nasty word has been exchanged between the blonde socialite and the social misfit.

Elphaba pulls her dark covers up to her shoulders, settling snugly beneath them as she prepares for a dreamless sleep.

Galinda falls asleep immediately; at least, that's what Elphaba thinks.

It isn't until Elphaba is nearly asleep when she hears Galinda's quiet voice resound in the darkness.

"Good night, Elphie."

And Elphaba can't reply because the girl next to her has already fallen asleep, so she just whispers her response.

"Good night, Galinda…"

And with that, Elphaba drifts off into a silent slumber, a slight smile playing at her lips.


	2. Galinda

**A/N: so, I hope that this is a tad bit better than my very first Fanfiction "Believers Never Die" because I'm getting the sense that nobody really likes it. I would like to thank ReallyUhSharp for the encouraging review. It was a very helpful review, so thank you! **

**I really don't think I have a major plot for this FF, I just wanted to write something somewhat successful so please don't bash/flame/hate/etc. I kinda worked really hard on getting into Galinda character. **

2. Galinda

Galinda wakes to an empty room, her roommate long gone. She looks around, making sure that the room is completely empty before getting out of bed. She takes a few guilty steps towards Elphaba's side of the room; having never been there it's a different feel. The room looks bigger from this side. Galinda looks around, and notices a piece of paper underneath a stack of books. She looks at it and sees Elphaba's neat handwriting, slanted to the left.

_Galinda,_

_I left early this morning, as I'm sure you've noticed. Just went down to the dining hall for some breakfast…nobody's up this early except for a few of the teachers so I'll be fine. I just want to thank you for helping me last night, the burns are already healing. Don't worry about your social reputation; I have no need to tell your 'friends' that you helped 'The Artichoke'. _

_But I must ask of you to not tell __**anybody**__ about my allergy to water. It's highly confidential._

_You should go back to sleep if you're reading this. _

_-Elphaba_

Galinda stares at the letter before dropping it. Like Hell she was going back to sleep. Galinda grabs her jacket, slips on her shoes, and heads for the door. She's determined to find Elphaba, even if it means risking her social status among her 'friends', as Elphaba had called them.

She makes her way to the staircase where she sees Pfanee and ShenShen, Milla is nowhere to be found.

"Good morning, Misses Pfanee and ShenShen…you're up rather early." Galinda says, keeping herself from making eye contact. Perhaps Elphaba was right, perhaps the three, well in this case two, are more trouble than they were worth.

"Come on, Galinda. Don't you want to head out for a bit of early shopping before classes start?" ShenShen asks, motioning her thumb to the doorway behind her.

"No, thank you. I've some business to attend to this morning so I've no time to go shopping." Galinda says, brushing the duo off as easily as she could a fly.

Galinda brushes past the two girls, pushing them out of her way in a gesture that screams 'don't mess with me' and 'I'm being polite, so excuse me'. All Pfanee and ShenShen can do is stare, mouths agape at the blonde's declining an invitation to shopping.

Galinda steps down the last few steps, looks back to see Pfanee and ShenShen gone, and makes her way outside.

The sun is shrouded in a veil of thick morning fog, and it suppresses Galinda's ability to breathe a little. Galinda grabs the handle to the door and enters the hallway that leads to the main part of the dining hall. Before she enters, Galinda peers in through the small window before entering, and sees a lone figure sitting at a far right table in the back. She can only assume that it's Elphaba.

The long black hair confirms her assumption.

As does the figures skin; green as sin.

Galinda makes her way to the back table, a tray of her own in her hands. She places it gently next to Elphaba's before taking a seat. The green girl merely looks up before returning to her breakfast.

"I got your note."

"I can see that."

Their conversation carries on in silence as the two enjoy their omelets. Galinda gives the occasional glance in Elphaba's direction; but only briefly.

"You keep looking at me, what, do I have something in my teeth?" Elphaba asks, finally fed up with the blonde socialites continuous glances.

"Oh, no…sorry, Miss Elphaba…I'm just distracted that's all." Galinda realizes her poor choice of words and probably knows that she's offended the other woman.

"Distracted? By what, my skin tone? My outspoken personality? What Galinda? What can possibly have you so distracted?" Elphaba asks, clearly aggravated with her roommate, before she grabs her tray and begins to leave.

Galinda reaches out and grabs Elphaba's arm, holding the girl in place. Elphaba sits again, discontent clear on her hawk-like face.

"No, I didn't mean it like that…what I meant was that I was thinking about last night." Galinda says; her voice holds sincerity and Elphaba can see the honesty that lies in the girls' blue eyes. Nevertheless, Elphaba snorts loudly in cynicism at the thought of Galinda thinking before bringing her steaming cup of tea to her lips.

"That's a real shocker. You were thinking…hah. And oh, what was it that you were thinking about last night exactly?" Elphaba asks, truly curious of the answer.

Galinda scowls at her green roommate, arms crossed and lower lip pouting before answering.

"Well it's like this…my thoughts wandered to the fact that we didn't yell or scream or punch at each other…that we held a normal conversation like civilized human beings. It's a matter that had me questioning; could we possibly be friends?" Galinda replies, looking into the taller girls' eyes.

"Wouldn't that hurt your social status?" Elphaba asks as she looks away from those captivating blue eyes.

Galinda looks around the dining hall and can see that more students are filling the tables. She knows she has to make this conversation fast.

"Yes, it would…but I think we can work something out."

"Like what?"

"Like…" Galinda pauses to think for a bit, resting her chin on her hands. "Like, we could pretend to loathe each other in public and then go back to our dorms and be friends."

"Do you think that will really work?" Elphaba asks, slightly skeptical of Galinda's plan.

"Well yes—but I think that we can decide on some ground rules later tonight in our dorm." She says quickly before she grabs her tray and stands.

Galinda is out of luck as there are no free seats anywhere now.

So she just sets her tray back down next to Elphaba's and reseats herself. One student notices this and shouts out.

"Hey look! The Artichoke is sitting next to Galinda!" Suddenly the cafeteria grows silent, and the hum of students whispering fills its emptiness.

Galinda can see Elphaba's discomfort, and she herself can feel her face grow hot. When she said she wanted to be seen by everybody this certainly wasn't what she had in mind. She feels Elphaba lean into her.

"Yes, because your plan to 'loathe now and like later' really worked." Elphaba says, drawing out the word 'really' as if to mock her.

Galinda looks around the dining hall and sees that everyone has gathered around their particular table. She stands, captivating the audience with her words, but that's only because she's popular.

Galinda knows she has no hope of becoming a public speaker.

"Hey, hey…I am so _not _friends with this…this _Artichoke_!" Galinda says, her acting classes paying off.

Elphaba is stunned because Galinda makes it seem so believable.

To reinforce what Galinda was saying, with her false insults, Elphaba stands and shoves Galinda roughly.

"You think that just because I don't say anything in response to your cruel names means that I can't hear you?" Elphaba shouts as she points at Galinda angrily.

Two can play at this game.

The heavy shouts of their audience echo throughout the dining hall. One kid shouts out.

"Hey, it's a catfight! Come on, kick her ass Galinda!"

This is the kid who Elphaba tripped over.

The chants of the students fuel their 'anger' further and the two begin shoving at one another.

"You know, I _really_ hate your voice!" Elphaba shouts as she stares Galinda down.

Galinda stares back.

"And I hate your face." Galinda retorts, standing on her toes to look Elphaba in the eyes better.

"That's it! Come here you brat!" Elphaba yells as she lunges towards Galinda, grabbing the front of her shirt roughly.

Before she can tear away from the taller girl, a rough hand pries both girls apart from each other.

They both know who it is from the coarseness of the voice.

"M-madam Morrible!" both girls exclaim, evident fear rising in their eyes.

The students return to their seats, to avoid any conflict with their shiztress for they know who terrifying she can truly be.

"To my office, now!" Morrible says, pointing a rather chubular finger towards the door.

All Galinda and Elphaba can do is hang their heads and reply.

"Yes, madam."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Galinda sits in one of Morrible's chairs uncomfortably, twiddling her thumbs in an almost trancelike manner. Never in her life has she been in trouble, not even with her parents. She was the perfect child.

On the other hand, Galinda can see Elphaba is perfectly comfortable; slouching in her chair, arms crossed, and an expression that could kill plastered on her angular face. Galinda wonders if Elphaba's ever been in trouble before. Knowing her antics, Elphaba probably has.

Galinda's thoughts are broken by the sharp sound of metal against wood. She looks up to see Madam Morrible hovering over the both of them and subconsciously shrinks back into her seat, pressing her back into the spine of the chair as far as it will allow her.

She can't help it; the woman is a terrifying goldfish.

"Girls," Morrible says in her Gillikin accent, except in her case, it's not nearly as graceful as Galinda's. "I can't imagine why you two would be fighting. It seems that you two were getting along quite nicely before people started arriving. Or am I mistaken?"

Galinda wonders how Morrible knows this. Had she been spying on them?

"Madam, I understand your confusion, kind of." Elphaba's filling the silence between the three, a desperate attempt to humor the fish-like woman standing before them. "Some students in the crowd started this, actually. We were just enjoying our breakfast like you said."

Galinda wonders if Elphaba noticed what Morrible had said or if she was just playing innocent.

Morrible eyes the green girl carefully, taking note of the girls fading burn marks.

"Miss Elphaba, I am curious to know, what was the cause of those injuries?"

A look of alarm spreads across Elphaba's face.

"Well you see, Madam, I stumbled into a patch of poison ivy the other day."

Galinda stares at the green girl, mouth slightly agape. Elphaba had just _lied _to possibly the scariest woman in all of Oz.

Morrible doesn't look convinced but dismisses it anyway.

"I see, well, see to it that you get those treated. I wouldn't want you missing my sorcery seminar." Morrible says, before turning to grab something off of her desk. "Now, as for your punishment for disrupting your fellow students, I think a week of detention should suffice. You are to go to Professor Demetrix's classroom after your last class. There you will have a sort of study hall. Do you understand?"

Elphaba nods, all the while averting her gaze from madam Morrible's.

"Yes, madam, we understand completely." Galinda says for both of them, shifting slightly in her chair.

"Very well then, I suppose you two are excused. Off to class." Morrible is at her desk now, eyes fixated on her paperwork as she shoos the girls away with a dismissive wave of the hand.

Galinda grabs Elphaba by the wrist and drags the girl out of the room.

"Hey, hey, hey…careful, okay, that's my arm which I like attached to my body." Elphaba protests as she stumbles out after the blonde girl.

Galinda releases her hold on the green wrist and looks up at Elphaba with a sternness only a parent could muster.

"What were you thinking?"

"I don't—"

"Back there in the cafeteria, what were you thinking? Starting a full out fight?"

"Hey, I only wanted it to be believable. No big deal." Elphaba says in her defense, shrugging her shoulders casually.

Galinda's anger flared at this.

"No big deal? Elphaba Thropp, do you realize how much trouble we could've been in?" Galinda shouts, earning a few stares from passing students. "We could've gotten suspended, or worse, expelled." Galinda says, quieter this time.

"Oh, please Galinda, I highly doubt Horrible Morrible would've _expelled_ us for starting a fight." Elphaba says as she walks away, leaving the blonde behind. "Well, if all is said and done, I'm off to the library. I've got some studying to catch up on. It would do you some good if you did the same Miss Galinda. I hear your grades aren't doing so hot." Elphaba lets out a small cackle before she stalks off; the sound of her boots shuffling against the carpet is the only noise Galinda can hear.

Galinda stands there in silence, watching her verdant friend leave without a second glance at her, before she dashes after Elphaba.

"Wait, Elphie!" Galinda says, trying to catch up as quickly as her designer heels will let her.

Elphaba involuntarily stops, allowing the shorter girl to catch up to her.

Elphaba looks down at the blonde Gillikin, letting her catch her breath before she asks,

"What in Oz's name is an 'Elphie'?" she says, but with a smile on her verdant face.

Galinda looks up at Elphaba, a look of disbelief etched onto her face.

"Why you mean green thing, it's your nickname!"

"Why do I need a nickname?"  
"Because silly…I-er…you know…"

"You don't have a reason do you." Elphaba says, hitting the nail on its head perfectly. She had caught Galinda.

"Oh, I'm sorry Miss Elphaba, but your name is just so long and it's kind of a pain to say all of the time."

"It's only seven letters, Galinda. But fine, you can call me that, but only in secrecy. I don't want more public embarrassment.

Galinda grumbles underneath her breath and Elphaba has to strain to hear her properly.

"I'm sorry, what was that. I swear, Galinda, your mumbling has got to stop."

"I said: OKAY FINE!" Galinda stands on her toes and shouts in Elphaba's ear, nearly causing her to lose hearing.

"You didn't need to make it that clear; I just wanted to know what you said. Now, come on. There's a library full of books to be read and things that _you _in particular need to read up on." Elphaba says, grabbing Galinda by the forearm before dragging her off despite the Gillikin's protests.

The two spend at least two hours in the library with Elphaba tutoring Galinda, mercilessly throwing questions in her direction.

The educational attacks only cease when Elphaba goes off to who-knows-where and Galinda lets out a sigh of relief before gathering her bag and heading down the marble steps.

xxxxxxxx

The rest of the day goes by and Galinda doesn't see Elphaba at all around campus. She guesses that the green girl has either gone down to the library or back to the dorm, although Galinda can't imagine why Elphaba would need to go back to her dorm room. It's the middle of the day and the rest of the classes were cut due to some urgent staff meeting so Galinda takes a nice long stroll around the lake.

She sees Nessa, Elphaba's younger sister, wheel by with Boq in tow.

"Oh, hey, Nessarose, can I ask you a question quickly?" Galinda calls out and Nessarose hears her, for she stops her wheeling and turns to look at Galinda.

"Yes, Galinda, what can I help you with?" She asks as a curious expression taking place as she looks at the popular socialite.

"Well, I was wondering if you've seen Elphaba around anywhere. Last I saw her was a few hours ago. We were up in the library, studying." Galinda explains casually, not taking notice of Boq's open mouth.

"Well, she hasn't come by my dorm. I haven't seen her since the OzDust ballroom incident. Perhaps you should check your dorm room? I know it's not like Elphaba to hole up in a dorm when there's studying that needs to be done but it could be that she's there. You should look, just in case. Well, goodbye Galinda. Come on Boq, let's head down to the lake." And with that Nessarose is being pushed off by Boq, leaving Galinda standing in the solitude of high afternoon.

Galinda walks back to Crage Hall in the comforting silence of August.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Galinda fumbles around in her purse for her key, finally finding it after three minutes of searching. She has tried knocking, but nobody responds.

Finally she manages to get the door open and herself inside. She stands in the little hallway for a moment before heading into the full room. Galinda doesn't notice Elphaba at first because she's too busy checking her eyeliner again but the shuffling of clothes as her roommate moves grasps her attention. She turns and sees Elphaba dead asleep, an array of books spread out over her bed and herself.

It's then that Galinda remembers what Elphaba had said about skipping classes until her wounds healed over. She walks over to the sleeping girl and carefully removes the life-sciences book that lies across her chest and closes it, setting it on her bedside table. Galinda can't help but smile slightly at how peaceful the green girl actually looked; it was a difference from the usual dour expression she wore when she walked the hallways alone. Perhaps there was hope yet, for them to become the best of friends. Galinda decides she doesn't care about her popularity as much as before, only wanting to stand by Elphaba's side.

She looks at the clock, and sees that it's almost midnight. 'How long had she stayed out for?' Galinda wonders as she changes into her blue, knee-length night gown.


End file.
